Bellus88 said:
Hey Im hoping to join the Canadian Scottish Regiment in Mississauga next summer. My question is, are you aloud to leave the Reserve force whenever you want after you join? I am willing to commit for 1 or 2 years, perhaps even more. I just wanna see how it goes. Would it be ok if I committed for one year and left in October 2010? Im not saying that will happen but it is a "what if scenario".
As far as I understand the normal procedure for the reserve is that you must attend the set number of training days - such as Wednesday Nights and One weekend per month or 2 weekends per month - this may vary from location. The weekday I think is known as the drill day at your local drill site or something, and the weekend is where you train at an actual CFB. Since the CFB are not at every location -eg North Bay has a CFB and so does the area around Borden, but many places in South Western Ontario don't seem to have any currently operated based, instead they have detachments or local nation defence recruiting centers.
I'm not sure if Toronto has it's on base, as far as I understand here in kitchener the reserve trains at borden for its weekend training. I'm not sure about this though 100%.
To make a long story short, if you don't show up, you are deemed non effective, and that might be grounds for dismisal. However as far as your service record, I am geussing you leaving without notice would be deemed not as well as if you gave notice. For a very short time they may not even consider training you since training itself can take half a year just for BMQ or SQ - or maybe longer, depending on whether you go for SQ training for a camp or do it by weekend training, I'm geussing it varies.
There are some obligations the reserve legally has as far as I know and that is if the Govenor General Signs a reserve call up. There is a level of 15 training days - however techincially the reserve can be
called up for any lawful military duty. As far as overseas service it is optional unless as far as I understand, parliament calls up the reserves - which hasn't happened since WWII as far as I understand.
There is something about the govenor in council also. It is avaialbe online under reserve - obligation to serve
http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/cfao/002-08_e.asp
You could expect that in any national emergency of a more than very short term nature the reserve may be called into active service - during a crisis it is easy understood that you will serve some role to reduce the harm caused by the crisis, be it distributing releif materials, sandbagging, even perhaps patroling areas to insure that the crisis situation isn't taken advantage of, or even using force.
Long answer but as soon as you don't show up you can be let go, but as far as I understand there is an indefinate service period attached with the primary reserve
http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/cfao/049-10_e.asp
"An officer shall request release by submitting an application to the units
CO in the form shown in Appendix 3."
PART 1
(To be completed by unit administrative authority)
..................................................................................
(SIN) (Rank) (Surname & Initials) (MOC)
..................................................................................
(Unit) (Enrolment Date) (CRA Date)
PART 2
(To be completed by member applying for release)
1. I hereby apply for release/transfer from the Primary Reserve under the
provisions of QR&O 15.01 Item
4(c). On Request - Other Causes.
2. I am currently serving a period of obligatory service as a result of
instruction at public expense and am willing to refund the relevant portion of the cost
of my training.
3. I hereby apply for transfer to the Supplementary Reserve effective the date of
release from the Primary Reserve. (Delete paragraphs not applicable)
4. This request is made for the following reasons:
........................................ .........................................
(Date) (Signature of Applicant)
PART 3
(To be completed by the appropriate unit authority)
1. This application has been reviewed, the applicant counselled, and it is recommended
that release be granted effective
........................................
(Date)
2. Documented substantiation of outstanding claims is attached (delete if not
applicable).
For non commissioned memebers see
http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/qr_o/vol1/ch015_e.asp#15.01
) On Request – Other Causes.
Applies to the release at his request of an officer or non-commissioned member whose release is authorized in circumstances other than those perscribed in (a) or (b) of this Item.
(See articles 15.21 – Notice of Intent to Recommend Release – Commissioned Officers, 15.22 – Notice of Intent to Recommend Release – Officer Cadets and 15.36 – Notice of Intent to Recommend Release – Non-commissioned Members.)
"30. (1) Except during an emergency, an officer or non-commissioned member who is not on active service is entitled to be released at the expiration of the term of service for which the officer or non-commissioned member is enrolled or re-engaged
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Other comments:
As far as I understand if you got any money for signing or educational costs and don't complete the terms then you will be expected to pay it back.
So my geuss is if you don't sign a contract period then you train until you are no longer able to commit the time to the reserve. If you know that you will not be able or willing to serve in the reserve then you should let your unit know. If you just don't show up it may effect your service record I would geuss, and you may not be able to participate in some activities.
BUt the advice above was good, talk to the people who are actually administering this stuff, they will know with more certainty.
However I would geuss it would be like most jobs, give notice of your inability to continue - or notice of leave as a courtesy - if you have a good reason they will probably understood.
Who knows you may love the reserve, and stay on until retirement at 65.